ibanez_freak
Well-known member
Got back into the hobby recently, had no idea my old account would still be here, quite awesome 
I'm Cameron, I recognise a few names on here from before (must have been 2007-2008 or so I used to post here all the time. As you can guess by the name if you play guitar, yes, I do enjoy noodling tunes on the guitar and have done so a while now. Also enjoy snowboarding, art, animation and graphic design.
I'm keeping less than I used to (with the intention of having more time for each mantis I have.
I'm currently keeping 4 phyllocrania paradoxa in one tank. They got lots of space, they're about L2-L3. Another female ghost that just seems a little big to be with them (they always have food, but the small L2 males were boxing at her, and it really just didn't look like it would end well. More important to separate for safety as I only have the 5. The four small ones are undetermined sexes, but I think it's 3 males and a female. Will be able to tell for sure next moult or two.
Had 5 theopropus elegans. One was missing a leg on arrival and has died very quickly without anything I can see being wrong. The others are fighting fit, but the one that died was found just hanging from the roof by one leg, dead as a dodo. I took it out and left it, noticing what looks like moisture seeping through the abdomen wall (the area looked darker, like moisture was being pushed through). I have read this species has a nature of being ferocious feeders, eating till they burst. I have also read that this species has a fast metabolism and gets thin fast if there isn't food around. I've never had a mantis over eat before and would like this possibility to be confirmed, but again, it may have just been an unlucky nymph. If anyone can confirm this, that would be great and I watch more closely how many fruitflies they need. They are L2-L4.
Lastly, but by no means least, I have 1 Hymenopus Coronatus nymph. About 4th instar. I've been searching around forums a lot trying to sex it. I know about segments, but can't quite see it right, and the back petals being bigger on female, along with the female developing a horn. All of these features are far from obvious for me at the moment, but I think next shed should help me see very clearly due to the size it grows being different between sexes.
Didn't mean to tell my mantis life story, but figured it would be good to let people know what i am in the hobby. I'm interested in breeding the ghosts, the theopropus are new to me and i'm learning with them. The orchid is more of a one off (just a pet) kinda mantis, I hope for female due to it's size, longer life and potential for finding an adult male in the future.
On the other hand, I'm starting to look at more pictures now and suspect he is a male. I can see wing buds (small, I don't think it's sub adult yet) and it is rather small compared to images of the female I've seen. Are male orchids more common than female?
anyway, super long hi with questions, i'll try to keep it shorter from now on!
not such a big deal, he's still a little dude
I'm Cameron, I recognise a few names on here from before (must have been 2007-2008 or so I used to post here all the time. As you can guess by the name if you play guitar, yes, I do enjoy noodling tunes on the guitar and have done so a while now. Also enjoy snowboarding, art, animation and graphic design.
I'm keeping less than I used to (with the intention of having more time for each mantis I have.
I'm currently keeping 4 phyllocrania paradoxa in one tank. They got lots of space, they're about L2-L3. Another female ghost that just seems a little big to be with them (they always have food, but the small L2 males were boxing at her, and it really just didn't look like it would end well. More important to separate for safety as I only have the 5. The four small ones are undetermined sexes, but I think it's 3 males and a female. Will be able to tell for sure next moult or two.
Had 5 theopropus elegans. One was missing a leg on arrival and has died very quickly without anything I can see being wrong. The others are fighting fit, but the one that died was found just hanging from the roof by one leg, dead as a dodo. I took it out and left it, noticing what looks like moisture seeping through the abdomen wall (the area looked darker, like moisture was being pushed through). I have read this species has a nature of being ferocious feeders, eating till they burst. I have also read that this species has a fast metabolism and gets thin fast if there isn't food around. I've never had a mantis over eat before and would like this possibility to be confirmed, but again, it may have just been an unlucky nymph. If anyone can confirm this, that would be great and I watch more closely how many fruitflies they need. They are L2-L4.
Lastly, but by no means least, I have 1 Hymenopus Coronatus nymph. About 4th instar. I've been searching around forums a lot trying to sex it. I know about segments, but can't quite see it right, and the back petals being bigger on female, along with the female developing a horn. All of these features are far from obvious for me at the moment, but I think next shed should help me see very clearly due to the size it grows being different between sexes.
Didn't mean to tell my mantis life story, but figured it would be good to let people know what i am in the hobby. I'm interested in breeding the ghosts, the theopropus are new to me and i'm learning with them. The orchid is more of a one off (just a pet) kinda mantis, I hope for female due to it's size, longer life and potential for finding an adult male in the future.
On the other hand, I'm starting to look at more pictures now and suspect he is a male. I can see wing buds (small, I don't think it's sub adult yet) and it is rather small compared to images of the female I've seen. Are male orchids more common than female?
anyway, super long hi with questions, i'll try to keep it shorter from now on!
not such a big deal, he's still a little dude
